# Paolo Duterte

Paolo "Pulong" Zimmerman Duterte (/dəˈtɜːrteɪ/; Tagalog:; born March 24, 1975) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the representative of Davao City's 1st district since 2019; he was a House Deputy Speaker during the 18th Congress. He previously served as vice mayor of Davao City from 2013 until his resignation in December 2017.
Paolo Duterte is the eldest son of former mayor of Davao City and 16th Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte. His sister Sara is the incumbent Vice President of the Philippines, while his brother Sebastian is the incumbent Mayor of Davao City.

## Early life and education

Paolo Zimmerman Duterte was born on March 24, 1975, at Davao Doctors Hospital in Davao City. He is the eldest son of lawyer Rodrigo Duterte, who would later become Mayor and Congressman of Davao City and President, and Elizabeth Zimmerman, a Filipina of German American descent. His sister, Sara Duterte, is the incumbent Vice President of the Philippines.
For his elementary and secondary studies, Duterte studied at the Philippine Women's College of Davao, obtaining his high school diploma in 1991. He attended the University of Mindanao, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in Banking & Finance in 2002. Duterte also had graduate studies at the University of Southeastern Philippines, where he attained his master's degree in Public Administration in 2009, and at the Lyceum-Northwestern University, where he attained his doctorate degree in Public Administration in 2015.

## Political career

Paolo Duterte started his career as a politician as a barangay captain of barangay Catalunan Grande in the district of Talomo in Davao City from November 15, 2007, to June 30, 2013. In the later part of his barangay captain stint from July 2011 to June 2013, Duterte was vice president for Mindanao Liga ng mga Barangay National (lit. 'Mindanao National Barangay League').
He was also part of the 15th and 16th Davao City Council as a sectoral representative of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) from January 6, 2008, to June 30, 2013.

### Vice Mayor of Davao City (2016–2017)

He was elected as Davao City's Vice Mayor in the 2013 local elections assuming the post on June 30, 2013. He secured a second term in the 2016 local elections.
In 2017, Duterte was allegedly linked by former Bureau of Customs (BOC) intelligence officer Jimmy Guban to the shipment of magnetic lifters containing P6 billion worth of crystal methamphetamine (shabu), allegations Duterte has strongly denied. In August 2024, former Senator Antonio Trillanes filed a complaint accusing Duterte, former BOC commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, lawyer Manases "Mans" Carpio, brother-in-law of Duterte, and seven others of committing conspiracy regarding the 2017 shipping incident during a House of Representative Inquiry in aid of legislation. Duterte welcomed the development saying that the “move will allow us to address these accusations through the proper legal channels, ensuring that the truth will prevail.”
Duterte later resigned as Vice Mayor of Davao City on December 25, 2017, saying the move was made out of "delicadeza" after his public quarrel with his daughter. This was attributed by Duterte to his "failed marriage" to Lovelie Sangkola describing his former wife as "incorrigible". He thanked the city council and remarked that he is looking forward to the day he is able to "serve the country again". Davao City Council Majority Floor Leader Bernard Al-ag became acting vice mayor upon recognition of his resignation by President Rodrigo Duterte on January 5, 2018.

### House of Representatives (2019–present)

On October 12, 2018, Duterte filed his candidacy for congressman representing Davao City's 1st congressional district. He was proclaimed the winner by the Commission on Elections on May 14, 2019, and took his oath of office on June 21. In July, he was elected Deputy Speaker of the House for Political Affairs. Some of the bills he authored or co-authored as a congressman includes the creation of a Boracay Island Development Authority, the renaming of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the setting up of various department-level government agencies in charge of disaster resilience, OFWs and emergency response.
Duterte was reelected to his second consecutive term as congressman via landslide victory in 2022.

### Smuggling allegations

On July 31, 2024, former senator Antonio Trillanes filed a drug smuggling and corruption complaint to the Department of Justice against Duterte, his brother-in-law Mans Carpio, and eight others.

## Personal life

Duterte's first wife was Lovelie Sangkola, who is of Tausūg descent. They had three children: Omar Vincent (born January 26, 1994), Rodrigo II ("Rigo", born February 23, 1998), and Isabelle (born January 19, 2000). He left the Duterte family for at least five years after having his first child with Sangkola, with his father admitting that his long absence was "[o]ne of my sad events in my life". Paolo and Sangkola separated in 2005, with their marriage annulled in a sharia court in 2006.
Paolo then married his longtime girlfriend, January Navares, in December 2010. They have two children together, Sabina Duterte and Paolo Duterte II. Navares-Duterte succeeded him as the barangay captain of Barangay Catalunan Grande, Davao City in 2013.
Duterte has two grandchildren, Rodrigo Duterte III, son of Rodrigo Duterte II, born in June 2019; and Arturo Vicente Duterte, son of Omar, born on August 15, 2019.